The “English Google SEO Office-Hours from January 2023” video by Google Search Central covers a wide range of topics related to search and website-owner issues. The video provides answers compiled by the Google Search Relations team to questions submitted by viewers. Topics discussed include meta keywords, branding, sitemaps, spam scores, mobile versions, site migration, content indexing, and more. The informative session aims to provide helpful insights and recommendations to improve SEO strategies and address common website-related concerns.
In the video, the Google experts emphasize that meta keywords do not affect SEO and that Google algorithms will learn the correct spelling of a brand name as it becomes more established. They also provide guidance on using lastmod in sitemaps, having separate sitemaps for news and general web pages, dealing with irrelevant search entries, fixing spam scores, and disavowing spammy backlinks. The experts clarify that keyword density is not considered by Google, while proper site migration, server configurations, and canonical tags are important for website visibility. They also discuss the importance of EXIF data and provide suggestions for better image ranking. Overall, the video offers valuable insights and recommendations to website owners for optimizing their online presence and improving search rankings.
Insight into Google’s Search Relations Team
The Google Search Relations Team plays a crucial role in helping website owners and developers understand how to optimize their sites for better search visibility. They provide valuable insights and guidance on various topics related to search engine optimization (SEO) and address common issues faced by website owners. In this article, we will explore the roles and responsibilities of the Search Relations Team and discuss the key activities they conducted in January 2023.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Team
The Search Relations Team is responsible for answering questions and providing support to website owners, developers, and SEO professionals. They compile answers to a wide range of topics related to search and website-owner issues, as submitted by the community. The team aims to help website owners improve their sites’ visibility in Google’s search results and ensure a positive user experience.
The team’s primary role is to act as a liaison between Google and website owners, helping them understand Google’s best practices and guidelines for optimizing their sites. They provide guidance on technical SEO aspects, such as crawling, indexing, mobile sites, internationalization, duplicate content, sitemaps, search console, pagination, and more. By answering questions and addressing common concerns, the team helps website owners stay informed about the latest SEO trends and practices.
Key Activities Conducted in January 2023
In January 2023, the Google Search Relations Team conducted an office hours session, where they addressed various questions related to search and website-owner issues. The session covered a wide range of topics, including meta keywords, brand name display, lastmod in sitemaps, news and general sitemaps, irrelevant search entries, site description not shown, fixing spam score for used domains, impact of spammy links from porn sites, keyword density, title mixed up with meta description, removing staging sub-domains, disavowing links for better ranking, best practices for site migration, reasons for sites not showing up on Google, getting mobile versions in Google, competitor’s social account with the same name appearing, issues with URL removal, structured data for service websites, reasons for content not being indexed, ignoring old moved URLs, impact of Search Console verification on search, translated content not appearing in Google, URL depth of an image on ranking, implications of bad parts in hreflang clusters, sitewide footer links, speeding up site moves, linking desktop and mobile versions for m-dot sites, and the importance of EXIF data.
Throughout the office hours session, the team provided valuable insights and recommendations to address these issues and improve website performance in Google’s search results. They shared best practices, explained Google’s algorithms, and offered troubleshooting advice to website owners, ensuring they have the necessary information to enhance their sites’ visibility and user experience.
By conducting these office hours sessions and addressing various issues faced by website owners, the Search Relations Team demonstrates their commitment to helping website owners navigate the complex world of SEO and achieve optimal results with their websites.
Meta Keywords and Brand Name Display
One common question addressed by the Search Relations Team during the office hours session was the role of meta keywords in SEO. The team clarified that meta keywords do not help with SEO. Google does not use meta keywords as a ranking factor. Therefore, website owners should focus on other aspects of SEO, such as high-quality content, proper keywords usage, and technical optimization, to improve their site’s visibility in search results.
Another topic related to brand name display was discussed during the office hours session. Website owners often wonder why Google does not display their brand name as-is in search results. The team explained that if Google identifies a search query as a misspelling of a common word, it may initially show results for the misspelled word. However, as the brand grows, Google’s algorithms learn the correct spelling and adjust the search results accordingly. It may take some time for this adjustment to occur, but website owners can trust that as their brand gains recognition, Google’s algorithms will learn the correct spelling and show accurate search results.
Lastmod in Sitemaps, News and General Sitemaps
The team also discussed the importance of the lastmod date in a sitemap XML file for both news articles and general web pages. The lastmod date in a sitemap XML file indicates the date when the content on a page has significantly changed enough to warrant being re-crawled by search engines. For news articles, the lastmod date should reflect the date of the last article update or the last significant content change.
Regarding the use of separate sitemaps for news and general web pages, the team recommended having distinct sitemaps for these two categories. By separating news content from general web pages, website owners can ensure that search engines can easily identify and prioritize news articles, enhancing their visibility in news-related search results.
Irrelevant Search Entries and Site Description Display
During the office hours session, the Search Relations Team provided guidance on dealing with irrelevant search entries and site description display issues. If a suggestion in the Google search results is not related to a website, website owners can provide feedback through the feedback link at the bottom of the search results page. This feedback will be sent to the appropriate teams, who continuously work on improving the search systems to provide more accurate and relevant results.
In terms of site description display, website owners often notice that the description shown in Google search results may differ from the meta description they have set for their site. The team explained that Google generates snippets automatically, and they can vary based on the user’s search query. While website owners can write meta descriptions to provide a more accurate description of their page, Google may choose to use different parts of the page that are more relevant to the search query. Therefore, it’s essential to follow Google’s best practices for writing meta descriptions and ensure that they accurately represent the page’s content.
Dealing with Spam Scores and Spammy Links
The topic of spam scores and spammy links was also discussed during the office hours session. Website owners may encounter situations where their domain has a spam score or is banned. In such cases, the team advised taking steps to clean up the domain and remove the spammy links. This process requires the website owner’s active participation, as Google cannot perform these clean-up actions on their behalf. Removal of spammy links can help improve ranking and ensure that the website avoids penalties.
The team also clarified that if website owners come across spammy links from porn sites pointing to their site, they do not need to prioritize this issue unless they have received a manual action. Google’s systems are continually improving to identify and handle such links appropriately. However, if website owners are concerned or have received a manual action, they can use the disavow tool in the Google Search Console to indicate that they disassociate themselves from these spammy links.
Keyword Density and Meta Description Issues
Google’s stance on keyword density for content was addressed by the Search Relations Team. They clarified that Google does not consider keyword density as a ranking factor. Instead, it’s essential to focus on creating high-quality and relevant content that provides value to users. While keyword usage is important for visibility, it’s crucial to be explicit and use relevant terminology to improve understanding and visibility.
The team also provided troubleshooting methods for website owners who notice that the description displayed in search engine results pages (SERPs) is the same as the title tag. In such cases, website owners are advised to check for HTML validity and rendering issues using the URL Inspection tool. Seeking advice in the Google Search Central forums can also provide additional insights and assistance in resolving this issue.
Managing Staging Sub-Domain and SEO Best Practices for Site Migration
Website owners often encounter challenges when managing staging sub-domains or implementing a new company name. The Search Relations Team provided guidance on these topics during the office hours session. To remove a staging site from search results, website owners need to ensure that it returns a 404 or 410 status code. Additionally, submitting a site removal request in the Google Search Console can help expedite the removal process.
When implementing a new company name, website owners should ensure that old URLs are redirected to the new ones. This ensures a seamless transition for website visitors and helps maintain search visibility. Website owners are advised to submit a site move request in the Google Search Console to notify Google of the name change and facilitate the transition.
Issues Relating to Search Console Verification and Translated Content
The effects of search console ownership verification on website indexing were discussed by the team. They clarified that verifying search console ownership or changing verification codes does not affect website indexing. Verification is primarily used to gain access to the valuable data and insights provided by the Google Search Console.
To have translated versions of a website appear in Google search, website owners should use separate URLs for each language version. Providing links to each language version and using hreflang annotations correctly helps Google understand and display the relevant language versions in search results.
Guidance on Hreflang Clusters and Footer Links
Hreflang clusters and the implications of footer links were also addressed during the office hours session. Website owners may encounter issues with hreflang clusters that include a broken hreflang tag, a noindex tag, or a different canonical tag. These issues can impact the inclusion of pages in the hreflang cluster. The team recommended identifying and fixing these problematic hreflang clusters to ensure the correct pages are included in the cluster.
Regarding footer links, website owners often wonder if site-wide footer links that refer to designer companies or CMS platforms are harmful for SEO. The Search Relations Team clarified that such footer links are not inherently harmful. However, using nofollow attributes for boilerplate links is recommended to prevent passing excessive PageRank.
Conclusion
The Google Search Relations Team plays a vital role in providing support and guidance to website owners, developers, and SEO professionals. Their office hours sessions offer valuable insights into various aspects of SEO and address common issues faced by website owners. In the January 2023 session, they covered topics ranging from meta keywords to site migration best practices.
Key takeaways from the office hours session include the understanding that meta keywords do not influence SEO, Google’s algorithms adjust to misspelled brand names as the brand grows, the importance of lastmod date in sitemaps, the significance of separate sitemaps for news and general web pages, providing feedback for irrelevant search entries, the variability of meta descriptions in search results, steps to fix a domain with a spam score or ban, the impact of disavowing spammy backlinks on ranking and penalties, Google’s stance on keyword density, troubleshooting methods for identical title tags and meta descriptions in SERPs, measures to remove a staging site from search results, guidelines for implementing a new company name, effects of search console verification on website indexing, strategies for translated content to appear in Google search, identifying problematic hreflang clusters, implications of sitewide footer links, and SEO best practices for site migration.
Armed with this knowledge, website owners can align their SEO efforts with Google’s guidelines and optimize their sites for better visibility and user experience in search results. Furthermore, they can stay updated with the latest SEO trends and practices to ensure their websites remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
